Wizards Route D-Fenders To Sweep Series
January 24, 2010 - NBA G League (G League)
Dakota Wizards News Release
BISMARCK, ND, January 24, 2010 - For the second game in a row, the visiting Los Angeles D-Fenders had no answer for the Dakota Wizards' lockdown defense and timely shooting. The Wizards held Los Angeles to 39.5% shooting from the field while Dakota's Romel Beck hit 7-of-8 3-pointers in the 114-95 Wizards victory.
Dakota began the early afternoon contest right where they left off in their blowout win on Friday night, starting the game on a 7-0 run. Connor Atchely scored the first four points of the game for Dakota en route to nine first quarter points. Los Angeles' Horace Wormely kept his team in the game with eight points of his own in the frame. After eight lead changes and four ties, the period came to a close with the two teams squared at 25 points.
Dakota used a strong defensive effort in the second quarter to take a big lead into the locker room at halftime. The Wizards limited Los Angeles to 7-of-26 from the field in the second period. Romel Beck was on fire in the quarter, scoring 17 points. Beck's perfect 6-of-6 effort from the field in the second, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range, helped stake Dakota to a 57-45 lead at the half. Said head coach Rory White, "We let the defense create the offense. You don't have to run plays when you're getting easy layups."
White has been imploring his team to keep up their defensive intensity for the entire game, and his team responded in the second half on Sunday. The Wizards limited Los Angeles to 17-of-40 (42.5%) from the field in the second half. The Wizards also used the second half to start working the ball into their big men on offense. Dakota's Boo Jackson had twelve points in the final quarter against his old team. Both Sasha Cuic and Keith Clark fouled out for the D-Fenders while trying unsuccessfully to defend Dakota's big men. "Our post players are starting to get more confident and our guards are more confident throwing the ball into the post," said White. The Wizards led by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter as they cruised to the easy 19-point win.
Dakota was paced by Beck's 30 points and 10 assists. Five other Wizards scored in double figures, including David Bell's 16 points. Los Angeles also had six players score in double figures, led by Dar Tucker's 18 points. Diamon Simpson added 14 points and ten rebounds for the D-Fenders.
After seven games in a row at home, the Wizards will hit the road for a pair in Albuquerque starting on Thursday. Los Angeles continues its current road trip with two games in Austin.
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